The DFG awards the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize to provide recognition and further incentive for outstanding scientific work by scientists at an early stage of their careers.

In 2026, ten prizes endowed with 200,000 euros each can be awarded. The prize money can be used for further scientific research for up to three years.

The funding is intended for scientists in a development and probationary phase for remaining in science/for a permanent Chair. They have already developed an independent profile early on after completing their doctorate and have attracted attention in the specialist community with their research results, so that top scientific achievements can also be expected from them in the future.
The award should not be seen as a recognition of the dissertation alone. The nominees should have already developed an independent scientific profile after completing their doctorate. As a rule, this requires documented research results, especially in the form of publications in addition to the dissertation. The prize can be awarded to scientists working at a research institution in Germany or at a German research institution abroad.

The award is open to scientists with a doctorate at an early stage of their career who are academically based at research institutions in Germany or at German research institutions abroad by January 1, 2026 at the latest, regardless of where their scientific achievements were made. The prize is not restricted to specific subject areas.

Nominees may not have held a doctorate for more than six years in the year of nomination. This period will be extended accordingly in the case of notable periods of absence (e.g. illness, care, etc.). Postdoctoral researchers can also be nominated for the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize; the same applies to Junior Professors, DFG Emmy Noether Program grantees, heads of junior research groups and comparable researchers in early career phases. Researchers with positions in the tenure-track model can be proposed, provided they have not yet been made permanent at the time of the DFG Joint Committee's decision (March 2026).

The following must be submitted for a decision by the University Executive Board on the TUD nomination:

• an appraisal of approximately one to two pages justifying the proposal (please present in particular the independent research achievements in the documents),
• a scientific curriculum vitae (please do not include photos of the person),
• a current, complete list of publications and
• a list of the five most important publications with links to the full texts.

Further information can be found at Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize
Deadline for submissions to the University Executive Board: by April 25, 2025 to Mandy Dziubanek, Office of the Rector/Academic Committees

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